FATA remains one of the least developed regions in Pakistan having experienced man-made, as well as natural disasters for many years. From 2008 to 2014more than 5 million people were displaced from the FATA due to the security operations by the military against non-state armed groups.

In 2014, the Government of Pakistan (GOP) launched a security operation against non-state actors in North Waziristan Agency (NWA). In mid-2015, because of the improved security situation and a more conducive environment for returns, the GoP initiated the return process of IDPs to different FATA agencies based on denotification notices issued by the FATA Secretariat. Since then the government, with the help of humanitarian partners, have facilitated 438,657 (93%)1 of the displaced families to return to FATA. There remains a total of some 29,000 families who are yet to return in 2018.

Although the return process has been lauded as a success, many unmet needs remain and require concerted efforts from all stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the process. One of the outstanding shortfalls noted was lack of a similar incentive to rehabilitate and reconstruct basic facilities to enable returnees to access services they had been accustomed to in the displacement areas. Due to several years of neglect and a lack of maintenance, most of the facilities including dwelling and other infrastructure, are dilapidated and in dire need of repairs. This meant that many of the returnees especially children, girls and women lacked educational opportunities, had challenges in accessing health facilities, or lacked clean drinking water.

On 27 November 2017, the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) invited the members of Pakistan Humanitarian Pooled Fund (PHPF) Advisory Board for a meeting, where OCHA provided an analysis of the existing situation, and key findings and recommendations from the Interim Vulnerability Assessment to the Advisory Board members for prioritization and decision making in the context of the PHPF’s First Standard Allocation 2018. The composition of PHPF Advisory Board equally represented donors, UN agencies, national and international organizations to provide strategic support to the HC during the allocation process. Cluster coordinators were also involved in the process through bilateral and collective consultations. To discuss the time-sensitive humanitarian needs and to complement the government’s initiatives, both FDMA and the Temporary Displaced Persons (TDP) Secretariat were consulted for prioritizations of needs and geographical coverage.

Based upon the Interim Vulnerability Assessment report and the analysis of the humanitarian context in FATA, the Advisory Board members reached a consensus to address the time-critical humanitarian needs for three sectors Health, Shelter and WASH with the following details presented to the AB:

A total of US$ 7.5 million will be made available from the PHPF under the First Standard Allocation 2018, representing 7 per cent of the total US$ 110 million for the 1st year of humanitarian funding – requested under the 3-year FATA Transition Plan Humanitarian outputs/activities 2018-2020. It may be noted that the US$ 7.5 million